1. difference of hereditary and real SUnde.
2. sinning against the recognized truth.
3. sin in Holy Spirit.
4. sinning from ignorance whether it is sin, and from the difference of ignorance.
The greatest sins committed against God.
The greatest and most wicked sin is to despise God's word.
7. how to get rid of sin.
8. the greatness of sins, how to recognize them.
9. that all people are under sin.
(10) How human reason stands, both against sin and grace.
11. hypocrites do not confess their sins from the heart.
12. the cause of sins.
13. the punishment of sins.
14. what sin sorry, or not.
15. the punishment of sins.
16. difference of the Pharisees and tax collectors sin.
Let no one despair because of his sins.
18. example that God forgives sin.
19. God does not leave unpunished any sin that is not recognized and confessed, especially in the first table, which is not considered sin but virtue.
20. the fall of the wicked, and how they are taken in their ungodly nature and false doctrine.
21. sign that GOD has forgiven us our sins.
22. what belongs to the fraternal forgiveness.
23) Believing in the forgiveness of sins makes you blessed.
24. Christ forgives righteous sins.
25. sins punished by the Holy Scriptures.
26. sin against the gospel.
27. forgiveness of sins is for and for remained.
28. against the temptation of sins.
Forgiveness of sins is in all ranks and offices.
Forgiveness of sins must be above everything by all means.
31. of the regiment and housekeeping.
32. difference of sin and sinner.
33. description of the spiritual regiment.
34. who are forgiven their sins.
35. where forgiveness is sought, and how it is to be grasped.
36. security of sinners.
37. corruption of human nature, that one asks nothing about spiritual things.
38. hatred and court.
39. lutheri dogs.
40. forgiveness of sin comes by grace, without any works.
41. argument of one who wanted to abolish original sin.
42 Recognition of sin.
43. sins are distinguished.
44. sin must be confessed.
No evil-doer goes unpunished.
46. following the people.
Great saints have also been sinners.
48. difference of punishments, and cause of sins-
49. from original sin.
50. blasphemy sin.
51. sin grows and takes over.
52. sinners should not despair.
53. how sin is forgiven.
54 Of original sin in Christians.
Original sin corrupts everything.
56. to sin willfully.
57) Whether the offended should ask forgiveness from the one who offended him.
(58) Everyone seeks his own benefit, because nature is corrupt.
59. what is the soul of man.
60. twofold case.
61. image of God's mercy.
62 From the presumption.
63. whether bad fornication is sin.
64. from an evil conscience.
65. from a tender conscience.
1. difference of hereditary and real sin.
None of the Fathers in the Church thought of original sin, except Augustine, who distinguished original sin from real sin, namely that original sin is evil lust and desire, and a root and origin of all real sin. And even though the wages of sin is death, as St. Paul says Rom. 6, 23, such lust in believers is not a mortal sin, but only a daily sin, which God forgives them and does not cause them to commit.
The people of the world are not to be reckoned with because of their faith in Christ, and because they resist it with the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
St. Paul writes and points out the difference between mortal sin and daily sin to Romans 8, v. 13, where he says: "If you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if ye by the spirit of the flesh kill business, ye shall live." Here you have a very clear distinction in saints and epicureans.
2. sinning against the recognized truth.
Many papists do and argue against the known truth, as well as the heretics and fanatics. But we have a rule given to us by the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says Titus 3:10, 11: "Avoid a heretical man, when he has been admonished once and again. And know that such a one is reprobate, and sins, as one who has condemned himself." And Christ Matth. 15, 14: "Let them go, they are blind and blind leaders. Thus Doct. Pommer used to say, "If a man is blind, he cannot see. For if it is a bad error, done out of simplicity, one gives way to the admonition and lets himself be taught; but if it is a stubborn will, one does not give way, but remains stubbornly on it. Just as Pharaoh was hardened and hardened and did not recognize his sin or humble himself before God until he was thrown into the Red Sea.
(This paragraph at Cordatus No. 1564.)
I think that if Moses had used the signs in Egypt for one, two or three years, they would have been used like the suns 2c. That is how ungrateful the world is.
1) D. Carlstadt also had such a stubborn mind: when he promoted someone to the doctorate in Wittenberg, he had an oration and said: "I stand here and promote this one, and know that I do wrong and commit a mortal sin: but I do it for the sake of two florins, which I get from it. But he introduced the saying of Christ, Matth. 23, 10., where he says: "You shall not be called masters"; from this he wanted to prove that neither Magistros nor Doctores should be promoted. Since in the same place the Lord Christ admonishes us that we should beware of sects and cults and let the Lord Christ alone be master in divine matters. Otherwise, children would not be allowed to call their parents father and mother, because God also allows Himself to be called Father. What was to become of it? Since the word, Carlstadt has also fallen and fallen into various errors and remained in them.
1) This narrative in another version also Cap. 67, 8 9.
Therefore, a distinction should be made between those who sin out of simplicity and those who sin wantonly out of hardening.
3. sin in Holy Spirit.
(Cordatus No. 339.)
There are six sins against the Holy Spirit, which, although they amount to one, are different in their deeds, or rather misdeeds. The first is presumption, 2. arguing against the known truth, 3. hardening, 4. despair, 5. begrudging his brother grace, and the sixth: impenitence to the end. 2)
4. sinning from ignorance, whether it is sin, and from the difference of ignorance.
It was asked of the saying Augustini: Whether that alone is sin, which happens willingly? From this it follows that what is done out of ignorance is not sin. Then said D. Mart. Luther said, "Augustine speaks of the will in a worldly and common way, as the right-wingers are accustomed to speak of it, not theologically; as he then interprets and explains this saying himself in the recanting books. Moreover, anyone who sins in error does so willingly, without constraint; it is a deliberate error. But the papists do not sin in error, but knowingly with will; for they now know, especially the most distinguished among them, that our doctrine is right and founded in God's Word, as they themselves confessed and said at the Imperial Diet in Augsburg in 1530. 3)
For when the Confession of the protesting estates was read before the emperor and all the estates of the empire, Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria (who was vehemently opposed to the teaching of the Gospel) said to Doct. Eck: "Doctor, can this thing also be overturned from the Holy Scriptures? Then Doct. Eck, the theologian, said: No, it cannot be overturned with the Holy Scripture, but with the Fathers. Thereupon the Bishop Albrecht of Mainz, Cardinal, had said to the Duke of Bavaria
2) For the continuation of this, see Appendix No. II. 3) Cf. Cap. 27- § 150, towards the end.
See, how fine our theologians hold with us; those, the Lutherans, have to prove their thing in the Scriptures, we have it outside the Scriptures!
The same bishop Albrecht also said at this imperial diet (since several committees had been formed by princes and theologians to reconcile and compare the Lutherans and the papists): "Ah! what is the point of much concord! see, the Lutherans have one article, even if all the others were not right, so one cannot refute the same, namely of marriage. And V. Luther said, when he told this: Haec testimonia ipsorum valde nos confirmant: These testimonies of them strengthen us very much.
But theologically, according to the Holy Scriptures, everything is called and is willingly sinful; for we are all sinners by nature, conceived and born in sins, completely corrupt and poisoned, have an evil will from Adam, which is always contrary to God, unless it is negated and changed by the Holy Spirit through the Word. Neither the philosophers nor the jurists know or understand anything about this, therefore they are excluded from the theological circle and the judicial obligation to recognize and judge the doctrine apart from God's word.
But there are three kinds of ignorance: one is called insurmountable; the other gross; the third assumed. The insurmountable one is when I know nothing about the rights described, whether they are divine or human. And this one excuses and makes all peoples and nations innocent. For although they neither know nor believe that God is triune in person and became man, they are excused for this insurmountable ignorance by reasonable, worldly-wise people, but it does not apply in theology. For St. Paul says Rom. 3, 23: "They are all sinners" 2c., and Rom. 5, 12: "Death has come to all men", and also rules over those who have not sinned, that is, even over little innocent children and infants.
Gross ignorance is when one does not want to learn; he is cheaply ignorant, that is, he is excused in something, but not at all.
But assumed ignorance is when
one willfully does not want to know a thing, which the lawyers call dolum malum, bad trickery, because one does not want to know it; as our papists are now.
5. the greatest sins committed against God.
The greatest sins committed against God are those committed against the first tablet, understood in the first three commandments: but no one understands nor feels the sin, except the one who has the Holy Spirit and the grace of God. Therefore, everyone is sure, and since such have angered God and become the devil's own, they still think they are well off with God; even if they falsify, persecute and condemn His commandment and word, they still think in their mind that they are doing God a favor and special service. As, an example:
Paul did not weep otherwise, he did God a favor by helping to defend the law; for he considered the law of God the highest, noblest and greatest treasure on earth, just as we now consider the gospel. And he wanted to put life and limb on it and leave it above, and in short defend the law; and he lacked nothing at all in understanding, wisdom and power, if he had need of it. But before he looked around, and when he thought his cause was best, he received another command, and it was said to him, that all his works, doings, diligence and zeal were against God. And yet he had the best reputation and appearance among scholars, wise men and saints, so that everyone had to say that Paul acted rightly and did godly, good works, because he was zealous for God's honor and His law.
He also had the arguments and the reason for himself, which could not be overturned nor refuted by reason. But God found a solution and struck him on one ear so that he fell to the ground and had to hear: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Apost. 9:4, as if to say, "In order that you may think you are serving me, you are persecuting me with hostility. And that it may be true, read this lesson: Thou boastest that thou hast my word, and understandest the law, and dost earnestly desire it.
and everyone falls to you, you take the testimony of the rulers and scribes, and you go along safely in the delusion. But I have commanded in my law: "Whoever uselessly uses and abuses the name of God shall die"; Paul abuses and uses the name of God uselessly; therefore I punish him justly. The first part of this final speech proves the work and the deed, because Paul persecutes God's Son, the true Messiah or Christ, who is and is called the name of God.
Paul could not solve and resolve the argument, therefore he had to crawl to the cross, be ashamed, and say: He had not understood the divine word and law correctly, and confess his great sin, abuse, also unbelief and lack of understanding, even blindness, and pronounce judgment on himself, it would have been right for him. Therefore he also says, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" Behold, thou art a master of the law and of Moses, and askest first what thou shalt do.
The greatest and most wicked sin is to despise God's word.
Without this, we have many other things upon us which are repugnant to our Lord God, and which are a grievance to him, such as anger, impatience, avarice, belly care, rutting, evil lusts, fornication, hatred and other vices: these are vain great abominable deadly sins, which go and abound with power everywhere in the world: yet such sins are nothing against the abominable contempt of divine word, which is so great and base, that in truth avarice, adultery, fornication, 2c. are not so wicked, indeed, they would all remain so if we loved and valued God's word. But, alas, we experience the contradiction that all the world is drowned in this sin. Peasants, burghers, and those of the nobility do not give a hoot about the gospel, but snore against it and consider it no sin, even if they despise it or persecute it. So I see my wonder in the church, that among the listeners one yawns out there, the other out there, and among such a large crowd there are hardly ten or twelve who are there because they want to notice something from the sermon.
In addition to the fact that this sin is so common, it is also a really terrible, infernal, devilish sin, in that it does not want to be recognized like other sins: everyone considers it a minor thing if one is in the sermon and does not diligently pay attention to it. Yes, most people go along like this, and let themselves think that the wine or beer tastes just as good under the sermon as at other times; no one cares about it, and much less does anyone make him feel guilty that he regards the good word so lightly. This does not happen in other sins, such as murder, adultery, and theft, which the newcomer follows, if not soon, but in his own time, so that the heart is shocked and wishes it had not happened; but not hearing the word diligently, even despising, persecuting, and falsifying it, no one has a conscience about it.
Therefore, it is such an abominable sin that the country and its people must finally be destroyed, for because it remains unrecognized, no repentance, forgiveness or correction can follow. This is what happened to Jerusalem, Rome, Greece and other kingdoms. Germany still has to answer for it, because sin always cries out to heaven and does not let God rest, so that he must be angry and say: "I gave you my dear Son, my highest and dearest treasure, and would have liked to talk to you, to teach you and instruct you for eternal life; but I have no one who will listen to me, so I must let the punishment go. As the Lord himself testifies in John 3:19: "This is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their works were evil. As if he wanted to say, "I will gladly keep silent about the sins of all others, but this is the judgment that breaks the neck of the world, namely, that I have sent my word, and they do not ask anything about it. Otherwise they are full of sins, and I would gladly help them by my word; but they will not. If they will not hear my word, they will hear the devil's word, and I must let it come to pass; but they will see how it will go with them.
The same thing happened to the Christians in the morning in the beautiful, large countries,
which the Turk has now brought under him; Hungary is almost gone as well. We Germans, and other nations, also do not want to hear the gospel nor suffer, therefore they must hear and suffer the devil's hordes, the Anabaptists and sacrament abusers. Alfo it shall happen, where one despises the word of God, and does not want to hear, there hear the Turk with his Koran, the red spirits and all devils, who preach all kinds of error: because it is the highest and greatest sin, so also the greatest and most severe punishment belongs to it.
7. how to get rid of sin.
(This § is in the great interpretation of the Epistle to the Galatians, cap. 1. Walch, old edition, vol. VIII, § 68.)
8. to recognize the greatness of sins.
(This § is in the great interpretation of Brie to the Galatians, cap. 1. Walch, old edition, vol. VIII, § 69.)
9 All people are under sin.
(This § is in the great interpretation of the Epistle to the Galatians, cap. 1. Walch, old edition, vol. VIII, 8 70.)
(10) How human reason stands, both against sin and grace.
(This § is found in the great interpretation of the Epistle to the Galatians, Cap. I. Walch, old edition, vol. VIII, § 74.75.)
Hypocrites do not confess their sin from the heart.
(This § is in the great interpretation of the Epistle to the Galatians, cap. 1. Walch, old edition, vol. VIII, § 76.)
12. the cause of sins.
When Martin was asked, "Where does sin come from and what is the cause of it?" he said, "Holy Scripture shows that it comes from the devil, whom our parents obeyed against God's word, disobeyed God, and thereby fell into terrible punishment. For through the same sin, not only are our bodies so weakened that they have become mortal from immortal, but the mind, heart, spirit and will have been destroyed.
is utterly depraved and wicked. For man has lost the right true knowledge of God; so the will is so utterly depraved that it desires and wants nothing, for that is evil, which is, as Paul says, "hostile to the law of God," and takes pleasure in sin, yes, is an "enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, for neither is he able," Rom. 8:7.
13. the punishment of sins.
The punishment of sin is death, both temporal and eternal, as St. Paul says Rom. 6, 23. Therefore it cannot be sweet, but bitter, because God says: "The day you eat of it, you shall die of death", Gen. 2, 17.
14. what sin sorry, or not.
(Cordatus No. 135.)
Sinning against the Ten Commandments is tolerable, but sinning against the mercy of God is intolerable; but so sin those who persecute Christians for it, because they do not defend themselves or take revenge.
15. the punishment of sins.
(Lauterbach, Nov. 29, 1538, p. 182.)
Then they spoke of the fierceness of the plague, which killed people by very short attacks, and at that time three people died in two houses in Wittenberg. Luther said: Punishment follows sin, as Paul says to the Corinthians (I. 11, 30.): "That is why there are so many weak and sick among you, and a good portion sleep." It will certainly have been a good distemper. So also Paul says 2 Cor. 13, (3.): "Forasmuch as ye seek to know him that speaketh in me, even Christ." So also the extraordinary sins of ungodliness and ingratitude will provoke God's utmost wrath.
16. difference of the Pharisees and tax collectors sin.
(Cordatus No. 1344.)
Christ knew best how to distinguish between sins. That is why he hates the envy of the Pharisees very much and punishes it severely.
But to the Magdalene he proves to be kind and friendly. Those do not want the word, this one seizes it. Let us be sinners, and only not envious.
Let no one despair because of his sins.
Because of our sins, that we are great sinners, we shall not despair nor despair. For God, who has publicly proclaimed the forgiveness of sins to all who recognize and confess them from the heart and has offered it to everyone, excluding no one, will not be otherwise minded, but remains true to His word forever and ever, and keeps faith.
18. example that God forgives sin.
We must not make or think ourselves more pious nor more pure than the avenger and murderer was on the cross before conversion. And if the apostles had not thus fallen, I believe that the forgiveness of sins would not be believed. Therefore, when it comes to the reckoning, I say: Dear Mr. Peter, I have not denied Christ my Lord as you have done, even though I am a great sinner. So the forgiveness of sins remains.
Even though the apostles were sinners, the Lord Christ always excused them, as when they plucked up the ears, Matth. 12, 1. ff. But he vexes the Pharisees with the giving of interest, as he has always been almost sharp and mocking against them. And he always comforts the disciples, as Peter, when he says: "Do not be afraid, you will see men again", Luc. 5, 10.
19. God does not leave unpunished any sin that is not recognized and confessed, especially in the first table, which is not considered sin but virtue.
(Cordatus No. 1743. 1745. 1)
The judgment of God is revealed and certain, that he who does not believe will be condemned. Accordingly, we too can condemn the ungodly, such as Zwingli, David his son Ab-
1) Cf. cap. 44, § 3.
salon, when he says: Oh my son Absalon! because he knew that he had died in public turmoil, and because he had defiled his father's bed. [Ps. 58, 12: "God is still judge on earth", that is, no evil goes unpunished.
Let God make me fall into all sin, only not into that which I do not recognize for sin; for nothing offends God more than when one does not want to have sinned, like Saul. But there are sins that are not recognized against the first table, others are against the second. Some are restored to repentance by preaching, like David. But when they say [Deut. 29:19]: ["It is well with me, because I walk according to my heart"; "That the drunken woman may go with the thirsty"; likewise Num. 16: "Is this his spirit?
20. the fall of the wicked, and how they are taken in their ungodly nature and false doctrine.
(Cordatus No. 1746. 1757.)
Our Lord God catches the wicked when they are most secure, and in the most trivial matters, like the pope through indulgences.
What falls from heaven is diabolical, what stumbles on earth is human.
21. sign that God has forgiven our sin.
(This § is from the sermon on 22 Sonnt, nach Trin., Hauspostille. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XIII, Col. 2504, § 33.)
22) What belongs to the fraternal forgiveness.
(This § is from the sermon on 22 Sonnt, nach Trin., Hauspostille. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XIII, Col. 2505, § 34.)
23. believing for the remission of sins makes you blessed.
(Contained in Cap. 24, § 120, last paragraph).
24. Christ forgives righteous sin.
Being a monk, I often wrote to D. Staupitzen, and once I wrote to him: O my sin, sin, sin! Thereupon he gave me
this answer: You want to be without sin, and yet have no right sin. Christ is the forgiveness of righteous sins, as murdering parents, blaspheming publicly, despising God, breaking marriage 2c., these are the righteous sins. You must have a register, in which righteous sins are written, if Christ is to help you: you must not deal with such pile-up work and puppet sins, and make a sin out of every bombardment.
25. sin, as the holy scripture punishes.
The Holy Scriptures do not deal primarily with gross outward sins, such as publicans, harlots, and knaves, for even the heathen can recognize and judge such sins; but deal most of all with spiritual harlotry and idolatry, which are done contrary to the first three commandments of God, which in the sight of the world have the appearance and title as if they were virtues, and are held to be respectability and piety.
26. sin against the gospel.
Among our people, God's word is despised to the highest degree; among the papists, it is blasphemed, and thus both parts sin most abominably against the first table of God's Ten Commandments (although God is less irritated and angered by transgression of the other table), which gives an evil indication. Therefore, since God does not help us, we are lost. On the other hand, I am comforted, first of all, by the great hope of the Turk, who relies on his power, and by the poverty of [King] F[erdinand]. Now it is God's nature and way that he is wont to remove the mighty from the throne. On the other hand, I am also comforted by the fact that the Pope and Franzos are inviting the Turk into our country: therefore, God help us. And if the Turk comes, he may lead some away; he must leave Ezechiam and Jesaiam alone.
27. forgiveness of sins is for and for remained.
(Contained in Cap. 7, §171.)
28. against the temptation of sins.
(Contained in Cap. 11, §15.)
Forgiveness of sins is in all ranks and offices.
(The first sentence Cap. 7, § 171; the rest contained in Cap. 2, § 24.)
Forgiveness of sin must be above everything by all means.
The law does not do justice in any state or art; it is impossible that everything could be done according to the law. As we also see in the children's art taught in schools, grammatica, there is no rule so common and straightforward that it does not have its excerpts. For this reason, forgiveness of sins is spread and set throughout life in all deeds, works, and arts. For the fact that a poem, poem, or song is exempt from common rules, and is not straightforwardly presented as another bad speech, that is forgiveness of sins.
This is called punctum mathematicum, which is indivisible and identical, so that it does not lack even the tiniest and smallest dot, which is impossible to find; just as the righteousness required by the law cannot be found anywhere. The physicum punctum, however, as it is called in schools, that everything does not happen so exactly and in the same way, is forgiveness of sin, since one must have patience, since it does not happen everywhere as it should.
Although the same dot, which they call mathematicum, is nowhere to be found, one must shoot at the purpose and target as much as possible, but one does not hit it, and still gets far enough away. Nevertheless, it means that one must sometimes see through one's fingers, hear and not hear, see and not see. So I told M. S. the other day that he should tell his pupil: he should learn the punctum physicum and have patience, nothing would come of the mathematico puncto, that everything should be done in a straight line, and as they say: you can't turn everything into bolts.
M. Luther talked about this at one time with M. Veit Dieterichen: The jurists with their art must also often seek the forgiveness of sins, because they do not meet it all the time. And
If they make unjust judgments, and the devil torments them in conscience, they could not resist him, even if they had Bartholum, Balduin and all the scribes for themselves: but with the Ýðéåß÷åßá, that is, with the forgiveness of sins, they may protect themselves. They must "strike first" and hit what they can, and then say to our Lord God: "Dear Lord God, let it go like this, we can't do better; if it is wrong, forgive it. Because it is not possible to do justice, seu punctum mathematicum; therefore no jurist, even in the very best conclusion, can stand against the devil, if he does not take theologiam to his aid, so that he comes and says: Dear Lord God, I have given a judgment in this matter, it is our rule so; if it is not right, forgive it. And this a jurist must do also in civil matters, not only in spiritual ones; because they cannot meet punctum mathematicum, or the actual law.
But a theologian must have it and be sure to say: It is written in God's word, and nowhere else. This the jurists cannot do; they do as the uncertain organists do: when they strike on an organ, if one pipe does not agree rightly, they take the others; if one voice is not right, the other is right. But theology meets the punctum mathematicum, which says: There is one righteousness, which is Jesus Christ; he that believeth on him is righteous. Of Christ we theologians preach and say: This our doctrine is right; so also say the prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah. We do not want to have forgiveness of sins, because the teaching is not mine, but God's; as the Lord Christ also says: "The words I speak are not mine, but my Father's", Joh. 14, 10.
31. of the regiment and housekeeping.
Luther thought of this at one time: In the administration of the household and the police, the law must be that one does not want injustice to occur. However, when it does happen, the remission of sin must come to it, for otherwise it will be corrupted. A man must do many things to his wife and
children, and yet must not disregard the law. So it is in all estates. In all creatures the forgiveness of sins is shown. The trees do not all grow straight, the waters do not all flow straight, nor is the earth the same in all places. Therefore this judgment is true: He who cannot see through his fingers is not fit to govern. That is, one must be able to tolerate much, and see through one's fingers, and yet not let all things go. It means: Nec omnia, nec nihil.
32. difference of sin and sinner.
(This § is found in the fourth sermon on the Passion of the House of God. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XIII, Col. 1815-1817. 8s 30. 31. 32.)
33 Description of the spiritual regiment. 1)
(This § is from the sermon on Sunday Quasimodogenrti in the house postil. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. XIII, col. 541, § 5 and § 6; col. 542, 8 8; col.543, § 8; col. 550, 831; col. 545, 815; col. 543, § 9; col. 545, § 16.)
34. who are forgiven their sins.
(This § is from the sermon on Sunday Quasimodogeniti in the house postilla. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. XIII, Col. 543 f., 8s 11. 12. 13.)
35) Where forgiveness is sought and how it is to be obtained.
(This § is from the sermon on Sunday Quasimodogeniti in the house postilla. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. XIII, Col. 546, § 20. § 21; Col. 649, 8 27. § 28.)
36. security of sinners.
When God said through Adam to Cain, who had slain his brother Abel, Gen. 4:7: "Is it not true that if thou art righteous, thou art acceptable; but if thou art not righteous, sin resteth at the door?" thus He touches and points out the safety of those who sin, and speaks to Cain as to the
1) This § and the two following are all from the same sermon, which is divided into 13 different pieces and mixed up, with omissions and additions, formed entrances and final speeches, as this has also been done many times by Aurifaber, e.g. Cap. 8, §§ 5. 6. 7.
greatest hypocrites and poisonous barefoot monks. As if Adam wanted to say: How was it for me poor devil in paradise? I also wanted to hide it with the fig leaves, and hid myself behind the trees; but, dear fellow, our Lord God cannot be deceived, the fig leaves do not. It must have been very painful for good Adam and it must have hurt him that he had to cast out his firstborn son and put him under ban and under guard. He chased him away from him and drove him out of his house, saying: "Turn away from me and don't let me see you anymore; I know well what I lost in paradise, I don't want to lose anything more for your sake; I will now keep God's commandment and order with greater seriousness. And will first have preached more diligently and more earnestly.
37. corruption of human nature, that one asks nothing about spiritual things.
Human nature is so depraved that it has no desire for heavenly things and eternal life. Just as a young child born into the world does not ask anything about how things are in the world, and if it is promised and offered treasures, riches, money and pleasures from all over the world, it pays no attention to anything, but only grasps at its mother's breasts. So are we carnal men: if the preaching of the gospel beckons us heavenly treasures and goods, which are acquired and promised to us through Christ, we pay no attention to them, nor do we take any comfort in them, but only have our pleasure and joy in temporal and perishable things. This pestilence, sickness or destruction is not understood nor felt by human nature.
38. hatred and court.
(Cordatus No. 1440.)
There are two deadly sins, hatred and pride. Hate is murder, pride is a lie. That to which the Germans call envy is a lesser sin, as are avarice and anger, for, like zeal, it means only that one does not begrudge a thing. The bitterness of the mind is not connected with the fact that one always thinks how he wanted to take revenge.
39. lutheri dogs.
D. M. Luther often used to say: I have three evil dogs: Ingratitudinem, Superbiam and Invidiam (ingratitude, pride and envy); whoever these three dogs bite, he is bitten very badly.
40. forgiveness of sins comes by grace, without any works.
St. Augustine and Gregory are under the delusion that our works should be propitiatory for satisfaction, not for salvation, that is, we could propitiate God with our works so that enough would be done for sin, but we would not be saved by it. But St. Paul clearly teaches in explicit words that forgiveness of sins comes from the promise made by grace, which cancels sin, and makes the conscience satisfied and calm, that it is now satisfied with God, and turns to Him all good things, as a child to its Father, in all confidence, and may come before Him and speak with Him, Rom. 5:1. Otherwise, and without this, the Church would have no certain comfort. If God had not preserved His Church under the forgiveness of sins, no one would have been saved. And although the same has not been taught, yet the text of the Gospel, the sacraments, baptism and absolution remain.
The greatest consolation is when one is challenged because of a particular sin, to say to him: "Dear brother, if you had not committed the sin, you would still have to rely on the mere grace of God, shown to us in Christ, and be forsaken or lost; therefore do not despair.
41. from the original sin argument of one who wanted to cancel it.
(Cordatus No. 1185.)
A certain gusher brings these reasons against me: no law is given to the righteous [1 Tim. 1, 9.], Adam was righteous, therefore no law was given to Adam; and so he wanted to abolish original sin. But the supersentence is wrong [used]; for the same.
is only about the righteous after the fall, or about the holy ten commandments, not about the commandment [Gen. 2, 16. 17.], which was given to Adam in paradise.
42 Recognition of sin.
(Cordatus No. 1318.)
This is the highest impiety of the world, that it does not want to believe that it is God who justifies, and all men ascribe righteousness to themselves, and no one wants to confess what God Himself obviously says about all; for when He says: God justifies the impious, He calls us all arch-villains. For what does the wicked not dare to do? Everything, if he has the opportunity. He who has not done the evil that another has done, has done something that the other has never done. No one is pure, but confession is lacking. What is done is done. He who has stolen, let him steal no more. [Eph. 4, 28.]
43. sins are distinguished.
(Cordatus No. 1319.)
Crimes in office [publica crimina] are much more serious than those committed by private individuals. For what is a thief who is hanged compared to the sins that H[archduke] G[eorg] commits? Every day he kills many souls, and yet he wants to be just.
44. sin must be confessed.
Magister Paul, 1) who had secretly given his stepson to a farmer in the Mark, and had a dead carcass put into a coffin and publicly buried in Wittenberg, as if the child had died, because of which he was also imprisoned and lay in the tower; he sent D. M. Luther a psalm that he had made, and wrote to him next to it that he wanted to pray for him that he might be set free again. Then the doctor said, "Oh, dear Lord God, how I would like you to be free; but your loose, useless excuse will disgrace you, for the circumstances are too important, great and much; over and above that which accuses you, you will be disgraced.
1) Mag. Paul Heinz from Liibben. Cf. Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 402, July 26, 1537.
also the deed and the work itself. It would be better to confess the sin and ask for mercy and relief from punishment; for confession of sin and iniquity deserves and obtains mercy, not only from God, but also from people, who have mercy on the one who confesses it. But it is lazy to confess one's sin, and one is ashamed of it.
So David did: after he had committed adultery, he kept silent for a whole year, as if nothing mattered to him, although his heart would often have told him and he would have felt it; but he did not heed it. The nature and manner of sin is that it makes a man dumb, then Satan comes along and makes him completely obdurate. So he goes in impenitence, where God does not reveal sin to him through the law, so that he feels his wrath against sin, and in turn, he is corrected and comforted through the gospel. Oh, rather let us confess and repent; for we have a gracious God who does not let us lack Him; He will gladly forgive if we only recognize and confess it.
No evil-doer goes unpunished.
(Contained in Cap. 9, § 19.)
46. following the people.
(Contained in Cap. 9, § 19, last paragraph).
Great saints have also been sinners.
(Cordatus No. 653.)
Let David be a great example of divine mercy; he tore a lion in two and slew a devil on Goliath. He had God's testimony about this, and then he fell over two pigtails; fie on you, and he became a murderer and hopeful. I think that he has come out of it. He was almost the greatest of all the saints, with the exception of the Baptist, after him is Elijah. I mean, Moses, Aaron and his sister also became detached. But when God said [Deut. 32, 51]: "Because you did not sanctify me at the Haderwaffer", if he had not taken the forgiveness of sins, he would have died immediately and been condemned.
48. difference of the punishments and cause of the sin punishment.
They talked about the causes of the punishment, which is done out of God's justice; partly through the authorities, partly also through various plagues and misfortunes, but also both through repentance, that one corrects oneself, and through the gospel. Then said Doct. Martinus said: "The punishments are very unequal, one is greater and more severe than the other. It is a godless opinion and delusion of those who pretend that all sins are equal, as Sebastian Frank teaches. St. Paul's sin is much different than Neroni's.
49. from original sin.
These thoughts of Erasmi's are the greatest and most dangerous torture and challenge, for he thinks that God is unjust when the pious are wronged. For if God were just, he thinks, and ruled according to justice here on earth, giving to each one as he deserved; then it would not be evil for the pious, nor good for the wicked. This is an epicurean and godless delusion and thought, which comes from the fact that they think that nature is neither mad nor corrupt. They do not see that our knowledge, reason, understanding, will, powers, inwardly and outwardly, in body and soul, are completely evil and corrupted by original sin; therefore they think that God is such a man as they and their bewitched eyes think. They all have blue spectacles before their eyes, and through them they also look at God as if He were such, and cannot look at Him otherwise. For they do not see what great misfortune and evil original sin has caused us, and how it has corrupted our judgment, knowledge, understanding and senses. Reason thinks that this alone is original sin, that one has evil desire and disorderly lust for the female sex. That is why all scribes and scholastic theologians say that carnal lust and desire are original sin; but unbelief, hopefulness of heart, despising God, scorn, blasphemy, murmuring against Him when things go bad, they know and understand nothing about it, nor do they consider it a sin.
50. blasphemy sin.
(Cordatus No. 479.)
Whoever the devil says that Christ is not merciful to him, makes God a liar who points us all to Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and this is to answer him: Even if I am a sinner, Christ is righteous.
51. sin grows and takes over.
In the 86th year of Abraham's age Ishmael was born to him, and before he was 99 years old Sodom and Gomorrah perished. So soon sin increased and prevailed in the five cities. Just as with us man's wickedness has grown and risen so high in such a short time that I believe the world will not be able to endure beyond five or six years. Sodom and Gomorrah perished in the 488th year after the flood. I am telling you this terrible story so that you may learn the right use of it, namely, to frighten those who are hopeful, proud and presumptuous in their hearts.
52. sinners should not despair.
Therefore let him who has fallen into sin not despair, but amend, repent, and cease from sin, and let him do it no more. Judas, in betraying Christ, committed a great sin, but not unto death; whereupon he repented, and was not restored by faith, and the sin grew greater and greater, and followed that he despaired.
53. how sin is forgiven.
First, sin is forgiven, not that it is no longer present or felt, but that it is not imputed. Secondly, the law is fulfilled, not that enough of us is done for it, but that we are forgiven for what we cannot do; 1) for the righteousness of our works has heartache. In the article of forgiveness of sins is the knowledge of Christ, which alone can comfort and raise up: without this I can
1) The preceding are St. Augustine's words.
If I suffer no conscience at all, the devil drives me through sin, so that the world becomes too narrow for me; only the knowledge of Christ raises me up again and sustains me.
54 Of original sin in Christians.
Original sin, after baptism, is like a wound that begins to heal. It is a real wound, but it is healed, and is in constant use and practice of healing, even though it still festers, hurts and aches. Thus, although original sin remains in the baptized until we die, it is killed daily and without interruption; its head is removed so that it cannot condemn and accuse us Christians.
At Eisleben, M. Luther said to Doct. Jonas, when a barber cut off his hair and took off his beard, that original sin in man was like a man's beard; which, even if it were cut off today, so that one would be smooth around the mouth, nevertheless the beard would grow again in the morning. Such growth of hair and beard did not cease while a man lived, but when one strikes it with a shovel, it ceases. So original sin also remains in us and stirs while we live, but it must be resisted and such hair must always be cut off.
Original sin corrupts everything.
Anno 1541 D. Luther said of the original sin: We would have a blessed life, if the Venenum originale, the original sin, were not, the Vritis sieut Dii: You will be like God, Gen. 3, 5. Our Lord God says: Do what I command you and let me rule; so we want to be gods and want to rule. Then we are well able to do it, and so we direct it that all misfortune and heartache come upon us.
56. to sin willfully. 1)
To err and sin is still okay, but to want to sin willfully, knowingly and deliberately is too much.
1) Cf. Cap. 13, § 51 the beginning of the fourth paragraph.
(57) Whether the offended should ask forgiveness from the one who offended him.
Luther answered and said, "No, for Christ neither did this himself nor commanded it. It is enough if he forgives him in his heart, and if he is asked, forgives the guilt, and does not desire revenge or punishment, but asks for him. I once also wanted to ask some who had offended me, as M. E[isleben] and D. H. S[churf]; it happened that none of them was at home, and I refrained from doing so. Therefore, I now thank God that it did not happen.
Then one of them said, "Is there anyone so pious among those who are offended that he does not bear the words of reproach and abuse with impatience and does not hate the one who offends him? Luther said: "If someone does wrong, he must also confess it; but should I not remember what is public, what Carlstadt, Münzer and Grickel have done to me? Who would deny it to me? I have done them no harm, but all good.
Zedermann seeks his own benefit, because nature is corrupt.
All natural inclinations are either against God, or without God; therefore none are good. I prove it thus: For all the affections, desires, motions and inclinations of man are corrupt, as the Scripture says: All men are false and indebted to God, that is, the nature of man is evil. Experience also testifies to this; for we see that no one is so pious as to marry, to beget children alone, to love them, so that they may be brought up and taught in the right knowledge of God. No great hero has done great deeds for the sake of the common good, but out of a desire for honor, and is condemned for that reason. From this it follows that such natural innate desires and inclinations are evil? Are they evil?
Luther answered: "It is true that such emotions and inclinations are evil, but God tolerates and suffers them, and allows them to exist in those who believe in Christ. Thus he creates a man from man's seed in his own image; through authority he makes peace, and pleases him with all these things,
like a carnival play, not for the sake of our worthiness, but for the sake of God's mercy and forgiveness.
59. what is the soul of man.
I would like to know what the soul of man is, because the body, when it is dead and the soul has gone out, is nothing else but a stone. I cannot understand it: we will not see it before what we were before the fall, because when we will see the opposite image.
60. twofold case.
Falling and sinning happen in two ways: First, out of weakness; this is forgiven if one recognizes it, confesses it, and abjures God. The other, out of stubbornness and stubbornness; this is not forgiven, if one recognizes it and is sorry for it. But that they which have fallen shall be received again into grace, if they repent, is proved by the examples of Adam, David, and St. Peter: for the Holy Ghost is given by the word. Therefore, if those who have fallen hear God's word and repent, they receive the Holy Spirit again: but those who do not hear it are lost, like Saul, Jude 2c. David asks that he not lose the Holy Spirit again, for he knew well what a great thing it 1) is; therefore he asks: "Do not take your Holy Spirit from me again", Ps. 51, 13.
61. image of God's mercy.
(Cordatus No. 77 and No. 78.)
With mere words, God could not have brought His mercy so close to us, namely forgiveness of sins and all other things, so that He blesses us to believe them, if He did not also impress it upon us in great and strong examples by His word, first on Adam, then on others, such as David who broke marriage, Job who cursed, likewise Jeremiah and many others. 2)
"Cursing" reads harder in German than in Hebrew. But it means only this much,
I) Thus Stangwald. 2) Cf. cap. 2, K11, para. 2.
as when one says, "That some misfortune may befall you," or 3): I wish that [it] may not go well with you.
62. presumption.
(Contained in Cap. 13, § 47.)
63. whether bad fornication is sin.
(Cordatus No. 1501.)
Since Paul says [1 Cor. 6:9] that both fornicators and adulterers will not possess the kingdom of God, it is strange that to this day people are found who ask whether simple fornication is a mortal sin. 4) Therefore, I answer such people that they may read for themselves what is written. But if they want me to be their judge, I certainly cannot judge differently from what the Scriptures say.
64. from an evil getbifsen.
D. M. Luther once said about the table that it was a tender weak thing around an evil conscience, because it could not save itself. As also the pagans said of it: Conscia mens pravi de se putat omnia dici: An evil conscience always draws to itself everything that is spoken. And D. Luther then told this story: Someone had entered a hostel and wanted to spend the night there, who would have liked to steal. As the guest and the innkeeper sat at the table, the light began to run because there had been a knot in the wick. The host pointed to the light with his hand and shouted: "Thief, thief! The guest, who was a thief, jumped up from the table, took hold of the words, and wanted to hit the innkeeper; his conscience drove him there. For if he had not been a thief, he would not have followed these words.
Item, he said, "There was a preacher who scolded adulterers in the pulpit, saying, "I have long punished adulterers with words, and now I will punish them with deeds; for I know an adulterer among this multitude of my hearers, and I see him before my eyes, and know him so well that I will punish him also with
3) Instead of "vol" in the original, "vel" will be read.
4) Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. 1, 1225, z 60.
And he lifted up the stone, and stood as if to cast at the adulterer. Then there were one or twenty of them down under the pulpit, and they all cowered, and feared every one that he would throw at him, and would run out of the church. Then the priest said, "I wept that there were only one adulterer among you; so you should all be adulterers. That is what conscientia, conscience, does. Then he told the story of the woman who had stolen the brush: when she saw other women talking to each other, she did not think otherwise, because they were talking about her stolen brush 2c.
65. from a tender conscience.
I think that if the apostles had lived at such a time as we are living now, when sin and vice are overflowing everything, their consciences would have been much too tender, they would not have been able to suffer it. But we have bear skins, wild boar skins; we do not feel it so hard. Whoever has a hard 1) skin over his heart, it might well break. Well, we may well pray and become pious.
1) delicate?